by: Rob Yates, LPNC Communications Director

On August 7, 2022, Brian Turner and his wife Kerri got into an argument. There was nothing special about the argument, they said not-so-nice things to each other in elevated voices, it never turned physical, and the point of contention was not extraordinary. In fact, the most unique thing about their argument was that they went outside to continue it so as not to wake their children.

Kerri left the house to walk and clear her head, while Brian stayed at home with their two daughters. The story should’ve ended then, with a husband and wife calming down and making up later in the day. Instead, this relatively minor incident marked the beginning of another state-sponsored episode of “we don’t respect your rights.”

Brian and Kerri had argued before, not with any unusual frequency or intensity, but from time to time, like many couples do. As is the case in many normal relationships, they shared mostly good times, worked through their issues, and built a family together. In the months leading up to the event, though, Brian and Kerri had noticed a marked uptick in scrutiny from their Gibsonville neighbors and law enforcement (why this happened is speculative and beyond the scope of this story, but it is pertinent that it happened).

Regardless of why it was happening, it was against this backdrop of all-of-a-suddenly increased visits from neighbors and cops (all documented on home security cameras) that the Turner’s recent nightmare began.

Brian went looking for Kerri later in the evening that August 7, as her walk to cool down had stretched into several hours, and he was concerned. He asked a neighbor to keep an eye on his children and went to search for his wife. He checked a local park, where he encountered Officer William Brennan for the first time.

The first encounter was peaceful and cordial. Brian acknowledged that he had argued with Kerri earlier, and was out looking for her. He wondered if Officer Brennan had seen her. Brennan had not, and they parted ways. Brian continued his search, assuming that was the end of his interactions with police for the day. Officer Brennan had other ideas, and followed Brian back to his house, suspecting that Brian was the subject of a complaint call the department had received earlier – a call which was potentially linked to the increased scrutiny Brian and Kerri had received in recent months.

Once back in the driveway of Brian’s home, Officer Brennan exited his car, and aggressively went to physically detain Brian. The scene was chaotic. Brian’s dog was barking on the porch, and Officer Brennan did, admirably, allow Brian to put the dog in his house. Brian’s daughter Ariel was also on the porch, screaming hysterically at the sight of her father being assaulted by a police officer. Officer Brennan escalated the situation quickly, though, screaming, cussing, threatening to use his taser, and demanding Brian’s compliance, all over a “verbal domestic,” referencing the normal argument that the couple had earlier. Ultimately, Brian was put in cuffs and placed in the back of a cop car.

Shortly after, Kerri returned home, and confirmed that she and her husband had argued, it was not physical, and everything was OK. Officer Brennan decided Brian was a violent criminal, though, and he arrested Brian for Misdemeanor Assault on an LEO, Resist Delay and Obstruct, and Misdemeanor Child Abuse, because why not, go big or go home.

In a just country, Brian would’ve been released the evening of October 7 with an apology and no charges. Instead, Brian went to jail, where cops repeatedly stated that he was belligerent and unruly, on video and on the police report, for the way he acted when being arrested after committing no discernible crime. Ultimately, Brian would plead guilty to obstruction.

The United States exists based on a few simple premises, one of which is equal protection under the law. No matter what anyone in Alamance County thinks personally of Brian Turner, he is entitled to the same rights as every other person in this country. These rights include protection from unreasonable search and seizure, security in one’s person and home, and the right to redress grievances against the police with no fear of retaliation.

As Brian’s Fourth Amendment rights had been violated by his arrest, he attempted to exercise his First Amendment rights to rectify the situation. Brian made his appeals through the NC court system. He hired a lawyer, who failed to deliver. It was later discovered that the lawyer was connected through family to the Police Chief. Brian filed an appeal to the NC BAR association, which was denied.

Brian shared his videos and images from the arrest and subsequent documents and communications on social media. He took his concerns in front of his local government. For this, he was called a “clown” and motions were made to prevent him from doing anything further. In fact, Brian Turner was trespassed from public property in the Town of Gibsonville, North Carolina, making it illegal for him to watch his daughters play soccer at his local park.

Brian has followed every prescribed remedy, filed every available bit of paperwork, gone through every motion, and done every other thing he was told trying to find justice, or at least closure, for his wrongful arrest and prosecution. As a reward, he has faced increased harassment from his neighbors, denials of every legal remedy he has attempted, and dead ends at all available public outlets.

In fact, Brian is now facing the possibility of jail time for speaking up about what happened to him. There are more grainy, sordid details that certainly suggest an “old boy” system is in place that protects itself through the connections of the people running it, one of many examples of the system working to protect itself and defend the rights of the people it is supposed to serve.

Brian Turner was arrested for a crime that was never committed. The system doesn’t get to pick and choose who it arrests, and why, because the people running the system are annoyed, or don’t like someone. Brian Turner deserves justice, and, until he and everyone like him gets a fair shake, we will never actually be free.